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Stranded Mount Logan Climber Rescued

Argentinian climber Natalia Martinez was stranded for four days on Mount Logan, Canada’s highest mountain, before being rescued late Thursday night.

Her plan was to solo traverse Logan starting up the East Ridge and descending down through the King’s Trench.

Kluane National Park rescuers Scitt Stewart and David Blakeburn with Natalia Martinez. Photo Icefield Discovery

An experienced South American guide and climber, Martinez would have been the first climber to complete the traverse solo. Only a few teams have ever completed the entire traverse.

Martinez began her climb on April 22, but was slowed down due to a broken crampon and stove issues. She had been on the mountain for over 10 days when two earthquakes struck Yukon on Monday.

The quakes were well documented in the media and caused big avalanches and unstable seracs on Logan, forcing Martinez to abandon her attempt.

A few climbers with experience on Logan noted that the trail breaking up the ridge is difficult with a team of climbers, doing it alone would have been a big undertaking.

Camilo Rada, Martínez’s climbing partner based in Vancouver, said Martínez had been working hard to keep her camp clear of snow and to stay safe.

Martinez’s route up the East Ridge and down. Photo Icefield Discovery

He described Martínez as a highly accomplished climber, “She’s used to really serious weather in Patagonia, she had been through a number of storms and she knows what to do. But that doesn’t mean it’s easy – it’s very tiring, especially if you have to do it alone,” he said.

Rada was in regular contact with Martínez via satellite phone and noted the 37-year-old was in her tent on Monday morning when she heard avalanches from the quake.

“She didn’t know it was an earthquake. She thought the glacier she was on was collapsing,” said Rada. “The whole ground around her was shaking and moved a lot. She was pretty scared.”

In 2015, Rada and Martinez made the first ascent of Mount Malaspina in Yukon via the East Ridge, a 1,900-metre AI2.

Mount Logan

The helicopter pilot, Ian Pitchforth, who was part of the rescue said it was a textbook operation. He said they did a partial landing because the ridge was too steep.

In 2016, Martinez and Ines Dussaillant planned to attempt Logan for the first all-female traverse, but bad weather forced them to postpone until this year. Martinez then planned to attempt it solo.

For more on her situation and a brief history of rescues on Logan see here.

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